Day after Rahul hug, Modi dismisses Oppn as ‘daldal’

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 21

A day after winning the no-trust vote in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the Opposition with renewed aggression, while Congress president Rahul Gandhi repeated the message of love he delivered with his now-famous hug to the PM.

Moments after Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that love was the only way to build India, PM Modi at a public meeting in central UP’s Shahjahanpur questioned the Congress leader’s hug diplomacy.

Modi dismissed the Congress-led Opposition as a swamp (daldal) driven by lust for power. “Yesterday, I asked them please give me the reason for bringing this no-confidence motion. They could not give me any explanation, but flung a hug at me (woh gale pad gaye)… The entire Opposition is blinded by lust for power. There is not just one dal (outfit) but dal over dal, resulting in daldal (marsh) which will only help the lotus bloom,” the PM said, jeering Rahul Gandhi whose hug drew a mixed response.

While the PM’s unsparing tone gave away the BJP’s message as the parties positioned themselves for the 2019 General Election, Rahul Gandhi’s unprecedented hug told the story of Congress’ “Gandhian” plan to counter the saffron family’s polarising narrative.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The point of yesterday’s debate in Parliament — PM uses hate, fear and anger in the hearts of some of our people to build his narrative. We are going to prove that love and compassion in the hearts of all Indians is the only way to build a nation.”

The Congress’ return to compassion as the centre point of politics is conscious, not sudden. AICC’s political resolution at the 84th Plenary Session pointed to this. 

The resolution quoted Mahatma Gandhi, who had said in 1947: “Congress is of Indians, of all those who inhabit this land, whether they are Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or Parsis.”

The resolution also attacked the RSS and BJP for “misrepresenting religion to capture power” and concluded, “The essence of Hinduism is all encompassing… It is distinct from Hindutva which is essentially a political ideology.”

It was this Hinduism that Rahul Gandhi referred to in the Lok Sabha on Friday after he hugged the PM. “This is the meaning of being a Hindu. I love you even if you hate me,” Rahul Gandhi said after his act which flummoxed the BJP.

‘Not one dal, just daldal’

I asked them (Oppn), give me the reason for bringing no-confidence motion. They could not, woh gale pad gaye… There is not just one dal but dal over dal, resulting in daldal.  — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

‘love, compassion only way’

Point of debate — PM uses hate, fear and anger in hearts of some people to build narrative. We are going to prove only love and compassion in hearts of all Indians will build a nation.— Rahul Gandhi, Congress President

CWC meet today 

Rahul Gandhi has called the first meeting of the newly constituted Congress Working Committee on Sunday. The meeting is expected to discuss the consequences of the no-trust motion debate loss and the way forward for the party.